Depending on where you live, outdoor activities in the winter could simply mean throwing on a flannel shirt or hoodie. But if you live somewhere like I do, where the snow piles up and it gets cold enough to make Jack Frost shiver, then there’s much more you need to know before heading outside and hopping on your dual sport motorcycle for a brisk ride.
A dual sport motorcycle can be ridden during the winter months even in cold climates. Cold weather riding differs from warm weather riding and therefore has different requirements for both rider and motorcycle.
Riding a dual sport in the winter is possible, and maybe you even WANT to. In fact for winter riding, a dual sport is probably your best choice. However, proper bike and rider prep is crucial for avoiding disaster and discomfort.
Bike Basics for Winter Dual Sport Riding
Owning any motorcycle for riding during any weather will always require some sort of preparations and safety checks. But because winter riding isn’t as popular or well discussed it’s easy to overlook how it differs from warm weather setup.
I’ll give you a list of things to consider (they may not ALL apply to your bike) and then I’ll explain a bit about why these things are important.
Winter Dual Sport Bike Prep Checklist
- Change to a heavier weight engine oil (check manual)
- Check and adjust or change Coolant/anti-freeze mix
- Lubricate cables
- Clean and Lube chain
- Check tires for good tread
- Spray exposed metal with a water displacing lubricant
- Clean and wax bike with carnauba wax
- Treat seat with a non-slip vinyl protectant
That may seem like a lot of things just to ride your dual sport a few times in the winter but the fact is most of that stuff is a good idea to do anyway. The only thing that’s really winter specific is the oil change, and in many places around the world you don’t even need to change the oil weight for different seasons (consult your manual).
More Lubricant!
The biggest issue in the winter is moisture and road salt depending on where you live. That’s why the majority of the above list is made up of lubricating and treatment steps. When you do your chain, you might even use a heavier chain wax type lubricant in the winter to help keep the water out.
Spraying the metal parts of your bike with a water displacing lubricant such as WD-40 helps to keep the moisture and road salt from attacking your bike. It’s a quick and easy thing to do that can be quite beneficial.
Tires
An entire article could easily be written on tire selection, but in the spirit of brevity I’ll instead touch on the basic principles of tire selection for the winter.
If you’re riding a dual sport chances are you have either knobbies or some sort of on/off road tire. The good thing here is, these will serve you well for winter riding. They already are designed to be used in adverse conditions. You would be wise however to check to be sure they are in good condition with plenty of tread depth left.
If you’re doing your riding exclusively off road or even on the ice, you may want to invest in some studded tires for extra traction.
Rider Basics for Winter Dual Sport Riding
Riding in the winter requires you to invest in some different riding gear. Unless you happen to be a polar bear, you’re gonna be chilly without layering up and having cold riding gear on. Some of these things you may already have, but let’s run through the basics.
Riding Gear checklist for winter
- Thermal base layer
- Additional clothing layers as needed
- Cold weather gloves
- Balaclava/Neck warmer
- Cold Weather Riding Jacket & Pants
- Thermal socks (and boots big enough to wear them with)
- Helmet suitable for cold weather
Cold weather reduces dexterity, slows reaction times, and dulls your mental sharpness. The colder it is, the great the effects. The key is to mitigate this by dressing appropriately. Layers are the foundation from which you build. This is true for any cold weather activity.
The wind and cool air will try to get at you as best as it can so having a helmet suitable for winter is helpful, as is wearing a balaclava. Remember what I said about reduced dexterity? Make sure you keep your digits functional with warm gloves and socks.
Most of this is common sense, but it’s easy to overlook when you’re excited to get some riding in. Don’t skimp on preparation or your riding day will either be short or miserable, or maybe both.
Winter Dual Sport Riding Tips
Riding a motorcycle of any kind in the winter is simply more dangerous than riding one in the summer. The cold coupled with snow and ice make for a riskier ride. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it. There are however some things to be aware of.
Road Conditions
If you intend to be on the pavement during your ride you might try to pick days when the roads are dry. This is one way to lower your risk of having an unscheduled ejection. If you’re riding on wet or snowy roads, use extra caution, slow down, and give yourself more space cushion.
Whether the roads are wet or dry they’re always in worse condition during the winter. This is especially true for those of us that live where road salt is used. Plows can also cause some hazards to crop up on the road. Keep your eyes peeled for loose pavement bits, chunks of ice, and other anomalies.
Adjust Your Riding Style
Generally speaking, you want to tone down your riding during the winter. I know how much fun it is to twist that throttle but it will serve you well to back it off a bit during the cold months.
Tires perform better when they are warm, this is why you see racers heating them up in various ways before the race. The warmth makes them stickier, but the opposite is also true. So in the winter the cold air makes the rubber harder and less malleable which means it doesn’t stick to the road nearly as well. Keep this in mind especially going through the twisties.
I always ride defensively on the street. I assume that nobody can see me, but this might be even more true in the winter time. People aren’t used to seeing motorcycles as much as cars, and this is amplified in the winter. It’s not that they intentionally ignore us, they just aren’t expecting it.
Riding Off Road
If you’re interested in taking your fun out into the snow, Fortnine did a great video on riding in the deep snow. Check it out!
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